Bioindication of fluoride pollution by the use of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) mandibles: situation and perspectives

Due to the increasing concentrations of fluorides in the environment, several bioindication methods for assessing the impact of fluoride pollution on living organisms have been developed in the last few decades. Studies of the exposure and impact of fluorides on mammals (primarily ungulates) are performed either as different methods of accumulative bioindication (i.e. determination of fluoride levels in bones, e.g. mandibles) and/or as methods of response bioindication (e.g. macroscopic assessment of the presence and severity of dental fluorosis as a specific morphologic change, which is the consequence of fluorides affecting the formation and development of the enamelin the time of tooth formation). Suitability of ungulates (particularly roe deer) mandibles as a perfect biomonitoring tool for assessingthe fluoride pollution has often been confirmed by the determination of strong positive correlations between fluoride concentrations in the environment and: (i) fluoride levels in mandibles of red/roe deer; (ii) severity of dental fluorosis in both deer species. A high potential of roe deer mandibles for bioindication purposes is stimulated by the fact that lower jaws of ungulates are often (in Slovenia they even must be) systematically collected with the purpose of cognitive management and control. Therefore, huge numbers of mandibles are available in Europe, equipped with all the needed individual (e.g. age, sex, health status) and geographical data (culling location). This enables large-scale (even national-wide, as seen in the case of Slovenia), but nevertheless spatially accurate environmental biomonitoring of fluoride pollution, in a reliable and cost effective way. Such biomonitoring programme started in Slovenia in 2008